ABOUT DMCC

Vision

To be a vital platform of evangelization for the growth of the Catholic Faith in Hawaii and beyond, imitating the charism of our Hawaiian saints.

Mission

Educate, inspire, and empower the DMCC Ohana. Our Focus will be on the respect of human life and dignity, marriage, youth and family life, education, social justice, and evangelism.

Purpose

The purpose of the Damien and Marianne Catholic Conference is to:

1. Bring Christ’s message to people of Hawaii and beyond and to promote an understanding of the dignity and reverence for all life.

2. Inspire participants to be fully engaged in all aspects of life, physically, emotionally, socially, spiritually and environmentally;

through the arts, songs, worship participation, presentations and healing ministries
through the diverse cultural, religious, and historical practices
through current educational opportunities and ever changing technology and social media, participants and other faithful will be provided opportunities to understand our faith and grow spiritually through the Damien and Marianne Catholic Conferences

Leadership

Donna-Marie Palakiko, PhD

President/Chair

Donna-Marie Palakiko, PhD, is a Native Hawaiian with over 20 years of experience as a health strategist with a focus on health care administration, non-profit management, and community-based research. She has a doctorate from the School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, a Master’s of Science from the University of California San Francisco with a specialization in community and cross-cultural health which included course work in health care administration, grant writing and management, health informatics, and health policy and a Bachelor’ of Science from the University of San Francisco in the area of nursing.

Ms. Palakiko has assisted with fund development efforts at her parish and currently serves as the board secretary for Hui Mauli Ola, a Native Hawaiian non-profit. In these roles, Ms. Palakiko has diversified her knowledge around grant seeking for capital campaigns, developing bequest plans, as well as seeking program funds for a grassroot organization.

As the Chair for Damien and Marianne Catholic Conference, Ms. Palakiko’s connection to the saints are the values they upheld and acted upon which continue to resonate in today’s world.

Lei Palakiko, MS, MBA

Secretary

Lei Palakiko, MS, MBA, is a Native Hawaiian with over 25 years of experience in the financial industry. She is currently an Assistant Vice President and Service Manager at the Kaimuki Branch of First Hawaiian Bank. She holds a Master of Science in Finance from Golden Gate University a Master of Business Administration from Chaminade University and a Bachelor’s in business administration from Golden Gate University. She is currently pursuing an Education Doctorate Degree from University of Southern California in Organizational Change and Leadership.

Ms. Palakiko’s experience in the financial industry provided her with the skills and knowledge to lead and mentor up and coming managers. She assisted with implementing change with bank automation and continues to mentor and coach staff.

Since 1985, Ms. Palakiko has been a financial consultant for Halau Hula O Maiki, and in 2007 helped to establish the Aunti Maiki Aiu Fund, a named endowment fund at St. Francis School. Since 2018, Ms. Palakiko has served as treasurer for ‘Ahahui Ka’iulani, a non-profit organization that raises money to promote all aspects of Hawaiian culture and for children who need assistance.

As a board member to Damien and Marianne Catholic Conference, Ms. Palakiko’s connection to Saints Damien and Marianne began with a visit to Kalaupapa Settlement in the late 1980’s.

Valerie Santiago

Treasurer

Valerie Balthazar Santiago was born in Hawai’i but traveled the world as the proud daughter of a U.S. Army veteran. She returned to the islands in her teens and graduated from St. Francis School in 1973. She later earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree at the University of Hawaii (UH) and a Master of Business Administration degree at Chaminade University with “Delta Mu Delta” academic honors.

Valerie has worked in the healthcare industry for over 35 years and acquired extensive experience and expertise in many areas (i.e. skilled nursing at Kaiser Permanente, university lecturer, founder and president of a medical billing service, hospice administrator at St. Francis Healthcare Systems of Hawai’i, chief administrator at the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities home for retired nuns).

S. Cheryl Wint, OSF

Chaplain

Currently a custodian of the traveling relics of the Saints of Hawaii and an assistant to the Vocation Director for the Sisters. She has extensive experience in religious education, coordination of volunteers and museum related activities for the Saints of Hawaii, working with those in need and related agencies, other parish ministries and religious vocation discernment. She is also active in a number of diocesan, youth and young adult parish groups and other Catholic communities and a board member of St. Francis Healthcare System and the Damien Marianne Catholic Conference.

Prior to joining the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities, sister was a Vice President of Software Services at AMISYS a subsidiary of McKesson. There she gained extensive experience in customer and implementation services, account management, software and hardware installation and programing for over a third of the healthcare organizations in the Unites States.

Sister enjoys being a disciple of Christ, praying with others, swimming, movies, planning, conducting retreats and pilgrimages, being a spiritual mentor and faith companion. Sister was born in England, grew up in Jamaica and has lived in the United States since 1981, thus she enjoys being an itinerant Franciscan and gets lots of energy being with others.

Glenn Medeiros

Board Member

Shanita Akana

Board Member

Shanita Akana was born and raised in Hawai’i and is a graduate of Sacred Hearts Academy. She received her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa in 1990, and has been sharing her musical gifts for over 40 years.

After raising her three sons with husband John, and running the Life Teen youth ministry at her parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Ewa Beach, she went on to earn a Master’s degree in Secondary Education from Chaminade University of Honolulu in 2007. Shortly after, she became a licensed music teacher in the State of Hawai’i. She believes God has chosen for her Wai’anae Intermediate School where she teaches chorus and connects well with local and Native Hawaiian students. One of her teaching highlights was auditioning her students to participate at a National Middle School Choir Festival at Carnegie Hall in NYC.

In 2019, she received a Master’s degree in Pastoral Theology from Chaminade University. She credits the Honolulu Diocesan’s Diaconate Formation Program (that she and her husband began) for this achievement. Along life’s journeys, each of these milestones were gifts from God to understand the human heart and human suffering in all circles of relationships. She sings at the 5pm mass at her parish of OLPH, has recorded 3 Christian CDs, loves to journal to Jesus, is an avid reader and became a recent grandmother. She is grateful for the invitation and involvement with DMCC via music coordinator and serving now as board member. Her motto in life is, “I go where God calls me.”